Eclipse
by hueri
Summary: Because the Shadow should never have tried to stand in the light. The Moon shouldn't have strayed near the Sun. And that was exactly what Rein thought, until he came along. [ oneshot ]


\- - - - { eclipse } - - - -

Rein had always been a _skeptic._ It was a natural thing, of course. Her sister was too bright, the rightful bearer of the title 'Princess of the Sun Kingdom.'

She had originally thought she had a chance against her, thinking that she could stand on the same stage as her, because they were twins after all. They had shared most everything when they were a child.

And that was where she was wrong, because now they are no longer children. They were already set to start their high school and she was ready to confess to her forever prince.

That is, until her prince had confessed to the princess.

And she wasn't the princess.

Fine was frustrated, thinking that Bright had no right to ask her out. But Rein knew that the only thing holding them back was her, it was obvious obvious obvious.

So, she stepped away, laughing it off.

"It's a childhood crush, Fine." She said, shaking her head. "A passing thing, we're like what, 16? I'm past that. I know you like him, go for it!"

Fine was reluctant, but Rein had a role and it was to remove the cloud from Fine's decision. "I'm always going to cheer for you!"

And then they started dating.

It was Rein's fault, really. She was a shadow, something that couldn't really stand next to the sun, and something that really cannot be without a sun.

\- - - - { 0 0 1 } - - - -

The lesser Fine spent with her, the more people had blurred Rein out. Soon, everyone had focused on Fine and Bright, because they were the perfect match. A perfect couple; a link to a soon-to-be strong kingdom that would be the Sun and the Diamond combined.

Until another person entered the stage.

A friend of Bright, and she had always been aware he had been there, but she never really bothered to see him. His face had always been blurred by the brilliant light that is Bright.

"Shade," was what he was called. He had approached her, a frown on his face sported his expression when she had asked him for his name.

Rein gave him an amused smile, her head tilting to the side as she racked her brain for a memory. "I know you. Fine had been pinning on you for years since middle school, right? You're that Shade?"

He gave her the affirmation, and they hung out. Mostly because during their first proper meeting, Rein had thought that they were the same. Both that belong to the shadow, without the sun, they were nothing.

And she noticed that she was wrong. Very, very wrong.

Because Shade was not like the sun, but he wasn't a shadow either.

He was the moon.

Shade was like Bright, but toned down to be cool, beautiful, and very gentle.

And Rein liked that. If only it did little to her insecurities. Because now she felt like all her life had been mostly surrounded by dazzling people. It made her feel like she did not belong.

\- - - - { 0 7 8 } - - - -

Shade saw her curled up by the bench after his soccer practice.

Rein had been waiting for him to finish, perhaps ask him if he wanted to hang out. Because today was special, and Fine was with Bright.

But her nerves got to her, and she panicked as she grew closer towards the field.

So she hid behind the bench, hugging her legs and leaning her forehead on her knees. Thinking how she was so stupid, how could she be selfish enough to ask Shade to hang out with her? She knew deep down that he would accept because Shade was nice that way.

If she asked him… she shook her head, a few strands of her hair falling out of its ponytail. no no no no no no.

"Rein?"

She froze, looking up and finding herself almost nose to nose with the person in her head.

She blinked, and he had the same expression on his face. She could smell the sweat off him, and the ragged hot breath from all his running.

She yelped, falling on her butt when she remembered how close they were. Her ponytail had become loose already, and fell towards the near end of her hair.

Rein grimaced as she stood up, dusting her skirt and disappointed at her reaction.

She pulled her hair band off and brushed her hair back her ears, because it would be rude of her to fix her hair in public. She looked at Shade, who had resorted to staring at her.

Rein gave a small laugh at the awkward air between them.

"What were you doing behind the bench?" he asked her.

"Ah," Rein trailed, avoiding his eyes by looking at the people behind him. "It's nothing."

She almost jumped in surprise when his finger slid under her chin and he made her face him. The hair behind her neck stood up because of his actions and all she could think of was that he really should wipe the sweat on his hair because he could catch a cold.

"What were you doing?"

Rein sighed, because there really was no point in lying. Shade had the magical power to find out when she was lying.

"I was just wondering if you were going to do anything after practice."

He eyed her curiously, before slowly replying. "I am."

Rein tried not to show disappointment in her features.

He frowned, "Aren't I going to walk you home today too?"

Rein beamed at him, and he chuckled.

"What, did you think I would forget your birthday?"

\- - - - { 1 2 6 } - - - -

Shade had propped himself up to his elbows as Rein looked at his shirt in horror, and then at the spilled drink on the floor, precisely at the empty glass.

"I'm so sorry, Milky!" Rein said, looking at the pink haired little girl.

"It's fine! I'll go get towels!" Milky said, running back out.

Rein turned to Shade, searching her pocket for her handkerchief and started wiping what could be dried off in his shirt. "I'm sorry, it must be so cold."

She had noticed he had tensed up after a while, and then held her wrist. She paused in surprise and looked at him. Her throat constricted after she realized she was positioned on top of him, pinning down one of his thighs with both hers.

When he moved to sit properly, Rein leaned back. His hand on her wrist did not give her the chance to get off him quickly enough before he could react.

They continued like that, Rein leaning further back as he leaned towards her. His fingers found her chin, "Wa—"

The space between their lips disappeared and Rein had been cut off. The first kiss was brief, and he parted before a second even passed by.

Although the space he gave her wasn't really much, and she still kept her eyes closed because of her surprise. So, when she talked, her lips brushed his like a butterfly's kiss and he descended towards her lips again.

"Shade—"

The second kiss was soft, but it was far from brief. Shade placed the hand that was on her chin to settle on her nape. The other one still holding her hand which was on the floor.

He pulled back again, this time he was far enough and Rein opened her eyes. She was red from the kiss, embarrassed at his stare. She licked her lips before she talked, and did not see the way his eyes followed the movement. "Shade, why—"

The third surprised her. Because he pushed her towards the wall, kissing her with a bit more force, and he didn't stop until they both ran out of breath.

"I told you to stop," Shade said. Getting up from his position, he took the towel from the floor and walked past his shell-shocked sister.

Rein, on the other hand, was far from collected. Her face was probably the reddest it has ever been since her birth and the mixed emotion she was feeling did not sit well in her stomach. Or her brain. Either way, she was confused.

Her eyes met the wide eyes of Milky and immediately, she recalled where she was.

"I-I'm sorry!" She said, picking up the other towel, and handing it to the little girl. "I should— ah, get home before it gets dark."

Milky gave her an empty nod, it was all she could do after witnessing such a scene.

Rein could understand.

And when she reached home, she realized Shade never really told her to stop.

\- - - - { 1 2 8 } - - - -

She really cannot avoid him anymore, not when he made a point to casually appear in her classes whenever he had the time.

The people in her year had already been aware of his persistent wandering around their halls and she figured it was about time when they connect the pieces.

Rein knew that Fine already had the gist of what was happening, but bless her because she did not comment on anything else besides the fact that 'Bright seems to have some _dirt_ on Shade,' which was weird because 'Shade is literally the private guy I know.'

And now she had two choices; that she let everyone in her year find out that it is (probably) her that Shade was visiting the past few days, or she let herself meet with Shade out of public eye.

The latter appeals to her more, but both choices costs her quiet school life.

"I'm sorry," Shade said, running his hand through his hair. "That I dared to collide with the sun."

Rein gaped at him, "Wait, what?"

He let his hand rest above his mouth, his hair flopping messily in his forehead. "I'm sorry, for the kiss. I'm perfectly aware you don't feel the same way. Don't worry, I can't promise to get rid of my feelings but I can conceal them."

"Wait, I don't— I don't understand."

She tried to meet his eyes, and he does. He breathed out a sigh, "I'm saying that I have feelings for you."

Rein blinked.

"I like you," he added.

She blushed.

"For the longest time now." He finished, taking her hand.

"No," Rein says, astounded. "But… me? I'm the— _nothing_! That's right. You're the sun, or the moon, I'm the shadow that doesn't appear without both." Rein paused, and Shade stared at her as if she was making no sense, and maybe she really did not.

So, she adds in a small voice, "I like you too."

\- - - - { -2195 } - - - -

Shade did not know if it was just his emotions or if he was really sick, but he couldn't hear anything else besides the steady ringing in his ears. Like a speaker that had gone wrong.

His father, where was he? His mother had told him he had left, but he would come back. If he really was going to come back, Shade wanted him to come back now.

His mother shouldn't be in… The stink of the medicine made him want to hurl out everything he had eaten prior to his arrival at the hospital. Milky was still in the daycare, he had to pick her up soon because no one else would.

But that would leave his mother alone, and he really did not want to leave.

So now he sat in the corner, hugging himself as he thought hard of what to do. He had an hour to decide, but really, his eleven-year-old self couldn't think of anything besides call his best friend and ask if he could speak with Bright's mother for help.

A poke in his side jolted him out of his thoughts and he looked up, staring at a pair of worried sea green eyes.

"I'm sorry, but are you okay?" She asked him.

He opened his mouth, but nothing seemed to come out.

"Are you sick?" she asked, taking his hand without intermission and pulling him up to stand. "Do you want to go visit the general doctor?"

"Ge—" he paused, "No, I'm here as a visitor."

"Oh!" She said, "that's why I'm here too, look."

She lifted her skirt a little bit higher and showed a pair of bleeding knees. Shade looked at it in alarm, and then at her face, in horror, he gasped. "Are _you_ okay? Those looks like they really hurt!"

She let out a soft laugh, "This is nothing compared to how the other party looks."

They stopped by a room and she pointed at a group of girls, where one other was being treated by a doctor. The wails were too loud, and Shade could have sworn he heard 'stiches' somewhere along the conversation.

"I didn't do anything," the sea-eyed girl said, "If that's what you're thinking. They pushed me while we were playing because I was accused of stealing Hiro from her, and I pulled on their hair, telling her that it was her friend who Hiro was dating. They all got into a fight while I had to go call the teacher."

He let the story sink in, before he laughed. "That's a smart move."

She beamed at him, "I'm Rein!"

"Shade," he asked. "How come no one is cleaning out your wound for you?"

"Ah," she said, avoiding his eyes. "They were all busy, so I was told to wash up myself."

Shade stared at her until she heaved out a heavy sigh, "Fine, I didn't show it to them because I knew it would sting. A _lot._ I promise to clean it at home but— what are you doing? Where are we going?"

He raised his brow at her, "what are you, 5?"

She huffed, "I'm turning 10, it that's what you mean!"

Shade made sure she was guided to one of the nurses, but before the nurse directed her to the bed, she turned back at him.

"I don't know what got you so sad, but cheer up." She smiled, "Because everything is going to be okay, eventually. Oh, but I can't really promise that, anyway, if you need someone to talk to, I can hear you out! I'll be at the nurse station! They give chocolates there!"

Shade didn't really understand how much he needed that until he reached his mother's room.

He took her hand and talked to his mother. It turned out that what his mother had wasn't that serious and his little sister was actually going to stay in with her friend for the night, so he had nothing to worry about.

And then when he went to the nurse station to look for Rein, she wasn't there anymore. Nor were the other girls that Rein had showed him earlier.

\- - - - { -1095 } - - - -

Later, Shade meets her again during junior high.

And it was between a pleasant surprise and disappointment.

Pleasant, because Bright introduced the twins to him. He could recognize the pair of sea-green eyes anywhere, even after 3 years.

Disappointment, because all it took was a glance to see how Rein looked at his best friend.

Shade did not stand a chance. Because Bright was, well, bright. And he was everything he wasn't.

And Rein, he found out, was just like Bright.

They both shone in their own ways.

Brilliant, beautiful, wonderful.

He was nothing compared to them, so he'll keep to himself.

* * *

 **A/N:** The numbers represents days. It is negative in Shade's POV because he's been watching her since before Rein recognized him.


End file.
